Gul Panag one step closer to getting a pilot's license

Like Gul Panag, there have been other Bollywood actresses too who have taken a fancy to heavy machines (read bikes). But the actress has gone one step ahead and has just wrapped up the second schedule of her exam to get a pilot’s license. 

Gul says, “I love planes. And it’s been my dream to be able to pilot one on my own. I am so glad I’m finally getting down to getting my licence.” For those who are unaware, Gul always makes an effort to keep abreast of what’s happening in the field of aviation. 

The set of exams that Gul just appeared for were a lot tougher than the first one, but the lady has fared well. She says, “My basics are very strong. These exams test you on topics like aircrafts, flying, principles of aviation.” As of now, the lady has taken a break for her upcoming film, but will soon take out time for the next level of tests.Own a planeGul in the meanwhile maintains that flying is just her hobby. “I always wanted to learn flying, and now I have the time and the money for it. I hope to have my own plane too someday. My dream is to fly around the world, which will be a five month-long trip.” 

The actor’s husband, Rishi Attari is also a pilot. But according to Gul, the two unfortunately can’t enjoy a flight together. “He can’t fly the kind of aircrafts I do. He flies the commercial ones.” 

Talking about flying on celluloid, Gul feels that Top Gun is the best film to be ever made on flying.“It is a classic for plane lovers,” signs off the adventurous actress. 

Slain Starlet's headless body found in septic tank

The two accused ” advocates-cum-struggling actors ” had strangled Meenakshi Thapa and then severed her head from the torso; they dumped the torso in Allahabad and the head on the Allahabad-Varanasi highway

A team of Mumbai police aided by Allahabad cops traced the headless torso of Meenakshi Thapa, a budding Bollywood actress who was abducted on March 30, to a septic tank here, police said yesterday.

The murder accused — Amit Jaiswal and Preeti Sarin —have confessed to killing Thapa lured by ransom. 
The duo first befriended Thapa noting her high profile lifestyle and then brought her to Allahabad under the pretext of fixing a meeting with a Bhojpuri producer. Later, she was abducted by Jaiswal and Sarin, police said. 
The accused, who have dabbled with some modelling assignments as well, called up Thapa’s mother in Dehradun demanding Rs 15 lakh as ransom to let her off. However, the parents could cough up only Rs 60,000. It was then that the duo decided to kill Thapa, police said. 
According to police, the duo strangled the actress and then severed her head from the torso. They dumped the torso in a septic tank in the Darbhanga Colony area of the city and the severed head in the Vindhyasani area on the Allahabad-Varanasi highway. 
While the torso of Thapa was fished out of the septic tank after the accused led the police team to the area, efforts are on to trace the head of the slain starlet.

Plot of the deadly real life story 

Jaiswal and Surin had come to Mumbai last year and were staying in Virar. The two were advocates from Allahabad and were running a coaching class there. The duo had befriended Thapa at a film shoot. 

Thapa had told them that she was from a rich family and was working in Bollywood as a hobby. The couple then came up with a plan to kidnap Thapa. The two on March 13, lured Thapa to Allahabad on the pretext of a film shoot.After killing her in Gorakhpur, they acquired her ATM card and mobile SIM card. The two then made calls to the victim’s mother and demanded a ransom. They threatened the family that they would shoot an obscene film of Thapa and then kill her if their demand was not met. The family had given the kidnappers Rs 60,000 even as cops were on the lookout for the duo. Following a tip-off, they were arrested from Bandra. 

John feels SRK's detention is 'good as well as bad'

John Abraham was in New Delhi recently for a media meet of his upcoming production 

When asked about Shah Rukh Khan’s detention at a US airport, he said it’s a good as well as a bad thing.  

After reading reports that he justified SRK’s detention, Johnny boy sure found himself in a soup! 

He states, “The US is doing whatever they can to make their country safe, so it is justified. It all depends on how personally you take the issue, and Shah Rukh handled it with a lot of grace.” Wonder why he did not make himself clear by what he meant was ‘good’ and ‘bad’ at the event itself?He adds, “I have been in that detention space where the Federal Bureau of Investigation was called in because I had Afganistan mentioned in my passport, as I had shot there for two months for my film Kabul Express.

Why Ileana lost to Nargis Fakhri?

The makers of the Akshay-Himesh joint production are apprehensive about how she turns out 

Okay, so we know that Nargis Fakhri has been confirmed to play Akshay Kumar's heroine in his next film, which he's co-producing with Himesh Reshammiya

Interestingly, the model who made her debut opposite Ranbir Kapoor wasn’t the first choice for the Ashish R Mohan directed film. Reportedly, southside actress Ileana Da’Cruz had initially being confirmed for the part. Seems there’s more buzz about Ranbir and Priyanka Chopra, her co-stars in her upcoming maiden Hindi release. So turning apprehensive about how she turns out in her Bollywood debut, the makers of the Akshay-Himesh joint production decided to rope in Nargis instead, considering that her film has released… never mind if her performance has been panned. 

It was Sanju's idea to have Nathalia as item girl

The trailers are in the theatres and the promotional clippings are ready to be aired. But the film’s producers Viacom 18 have decided to shoot an additional song which will not only be sung by Sanjay Dutt. 

There have been loud whispers about Sanjay Dutt’s more than passing interest in behind-the-scenes proceedings of his latest film Department. Dutt has been looking closely at the progression of the shooting, specially towards the closing lap. 

In fact it was Dutt who suggested Brazilian model Nathalia for the item song rather than a known face from Bollywood. And now comes the clincher. Next week Sanjay Dutt would personally shoot a song featuring himself and to be choreographed by Dutt’s friend and protégé choreographer Ahmed Khan. 

A very reliable source from Viacom 18 informed, “Sanjay Dutt will be shooting the song with Ahmed Khan’s choreography. The peppy edgy number has been composed by Sandeep Chowta and Mr Dutt would be recording the song in his own voice. There’s no doubt that Sanjay Dutt is a major attraction after Agneepath. We want to make sure he is projected as the film’s USP. ” 

(Mr Bachchan has a cameo in the film).

Dutt would be taking charge of the song which besides being aired on all the channels would also be appended on to the film for the end-titles. 

While the Viacom source chose to remain anonymous, choreographer Ahmed Khan spilled the beans. “Yes, we are shooting a song for Department. It’s a music video to be sung by Baba. He and I are getting together once again after he sang and I shot Aye shivani in Sanjay Chhel’s Khubsoorat. This time it’s an edgy song with no dancing. ”

Where's the money honey?

Vivek Oberoi and Mallika Sherawat are apparently yet to return their signing amounts to the makers after their film gets shelved 

Buzz is that with a film by producer-duo Nadir and Nariman Irani getting shelved, Vivek Oberoi and Mallika Sherawat, who had been cast for the project, are now reluctant to return their signing amounts.

Sagar Ballary who was said to be directing that film, is now making another film with Vivek.Sources say that the casting for the film was being finalised around the time Ballary’s Hum Tum Shabana was being released. “Some time after the film’s release, Vivek confirmed for the Nadir Irani production venture.And he was paid a signing amount of about Rs 50 lakh. Soon afterwards, the makers approached Mallika Sherawat and confirmed her too,” points out our source.

Apparently after that, Vivek wanted some changes in the script. 

“So Sagar had to re-write those parts. But when the director went back to him again, Vivek had other issues with the script. 

After a while of going back and forth, all work on the film came to a standstill. Eventually, the film was shelved,” explains our source.The source further tells us that after the production was aborted, neither Vivek nor Mallika have bothered to return the signing amounts to Irani.Mallika’s spokesperson confirmed that she was indeed approached for the film. “But she hasn’t signed it, and so hasn’t been paid anything. The question of returning the signing amount doesn’t arise,” he shrugged. Irani, Vivek and Ballary remained unavailable for comment.

Geeta, Bhajji: Let's make music

Geeta Basra apparently wants ‘special friend’ Harbhajan Singh to accompany her to a concert by a Romanian band 

Geeta Basra has got music on her mind. The starlet is looking forward to the India tour of the Romanian band Deepside Deejays. 

As she is a big fan of the group, she has introduced their house music to her ‘special friend’ Harbhajan Singh. And apparently the cricketer, too, has been hooked to it.Their tracks like Beautiful Days, Get Shaky and remixed versions of Don’t Say It’s Over and Never Be Alone is on the loop of Geeta’s playlist. Buzz is that the starlet is keen that Bhajji can accompany her to one of their concerts.Though he is busy with the on-going IPL matches for his Mumbai Indians team, she is hoping he can take time off depending on the match schedules. The band is slated to perform in the country later this month. Incidentally, Geeta is not going to be attending the concert for the first time, as she has already seen them live in action in Europe. 

She says, “I was in Austria visiting my aunt when my cousins dragged me to their concert. The atmosphere was so charged. I couldn’t stop myself from dancing endlessly only to be really tired at the end of the show.”

According to her many bands come up with great tracks but are lacklustre when they perform live.

“But with Deepside Deejays, it’s so cool that they can actually set the audience’s hearts pumping. I can’t wait to catch them in India, ” adds Geeta who is also looking forward to her item number in a Sanjay Dutt-Arshad Warsi starrer.      More on the band…
Deepside Deejays is a Romanian band set up in 2008 by Vibearena, Victor de la Pena and Dave Pryce. In their quest to do something new on the house music scene, they started remixing in their unique style.